Smartphone App Can Help Cut Length of Stay After C-Section

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- A smartphone app developed as part of a Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH) program is associated with shorter length of stay after cesarean section, according to a study presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists PRACTICE MANAGEMENT 2017 meeting, held from Jan. 27 to 29 in Grapevine, Texas.

Attila Kett, M.D., from Saint Peter's University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J., and colleagues developed a smartphone application to engage and empower the obstetric patient population using the PSH model of care. The program offered a wide range of capabilities, including a cross-platform application accommodating patient education, reminders, and remote monitoring. The app reminded the women of appointments, provided pre-surgery information, and facilitated post-surgery health checks. Thirty patients scheduled for cesarean section were enrolled in the study.

The researchers observed a reduction in the average length of stay from 3.7 to 2.7 days. The financial model was adjusted based on local context; with an implementation cost of $48.00 and daily direct variable cost savings of $1,516, the introduction of the program would yield a 216 percent return on investment during the first year. In subsequent years, return would increase to 282 percent.

"The app empowers women by putting them in control of their health care needs," Kett said in a statement.

Saint Peter's University Hospital partnered with SeamlessMD, a provider of clinical intelligence platforms, to develop the smartphone application.